Continuing to write like a motherfrakking boss. Oh, the perfect high of being in the writing zone. And it was Selection Sunday today! And we're a one seed! And I grilled homemade naan and curried chicken for dinner! And I watched Community! And North Carolina lost! And Tron videos!

Great weekend, babies. Great weekend.

INT. MIRA’S COTTAGE - NIGHT

Even smaller on the inside. A narrow table, rickety chairs, an old wooden chest. A straw-filled mattress on the floor. Mira cooks, stirring a pot hung over the fire in the hearth.

Footsteps outside. Mira doesn’t look up. The door opens - SAMUEL (25), handsome and able-bodied but a little too thin. Shadows under his eyes. He drops an OLD AXE by the door.

SAMUELSurrounded by trees, but we won’t have enough wood to burn this winter.

Dominik runs over from where he had been playing with a little carved wooden horse.

DOMINIKPapa!

Samuel slumps into one of the chairs, a tired arm around the boy.

SAMUELA few old axes and a saw missing half its teeth. Coming back to the village one of the horses threw a shoe, and we have no blacksmith since Karoly died.

The table has been moved aside, the mattress dragged in front of the fireplace. Dominik sleeps. Mira stares at the ceiling.

EXT. MIRA’S COTTAGE - NIGHT

Mira slips out, drawing a cloak around herself. She heads toward the barn, dim light flickering between the cracks.

INT. BARN - NIGHT

Mira enters. Samuel sits at a table, working by lamp light. He stitches two pieces of leather together. Finished pairs of SHOES rest in a neat line on the back of the table.

MIRAYou win. You are more stubborn than I am.

SAMUELYou should not put your pride ahead of the health of our son. The safety of our family.

Mira comes to him, a hand on his back.

MIRAEvery day, I feel like a little more is taken away from us. Is it so wrong to want to keep my dignity?

SAMUELWhat good is dignity if you are starving?

Samuel puts down his work, rests his head in his hands. Mira rubs his back. Her eyes move again to the row of shoes.

MIRAIf only you could travel to one of the neighboring villages. You could sell the shoes, buy grain, meat, warm clothes.

SAMUELAny man caught crossing the river faces a whipping at best. At worst...

MIRAYou could ford the river down by the rocks, where we used to play when we were children. Do you remember?

SAMUEL(turns to her)They would miss me tomorrow. They would ask where I was.

MIRAI could tell them you’re sick, that you can’t get out of bed, let alone chop down trees.

Samuel stands. Reluctance gives way to resolve.

SAMUELI should leave now, while it’s still dark.

Mira’s eyes light up. She kisses him, hard.

CUT TO:

EXT. MIRA’S COTTAGE - DAWN

The sunlight is weak. Frost covers the cottage’s single window. Mira is already up and dressed, cleaning out the barn with a rake.The sound of HORSES coming her way, moving fast. Mira drops her rake, runs for the cottage.

MIRADominik!

He comes out just as she reaches the door, rubbing his eyes.

MIRA (CONT’D)Go to the barn and hide in the hay. If I do not come for you, wait until dark, then take the road to Todor’s.

DOMINIKMama?

MIRAGo!

Dominik runs for the barn. Mira watches until he is inside before she turns away. She busies herself sweeping the ground in front of the cottage. Only a few seconds pass before the horses appear, turning down the little path that leads to the cottage.

Three horses, bearing the VILLAGE ELDERS. Rich velvet riding cloaks, plump, well-fed faces. Stern, forbidding expressions. The outer two never speak, leaving the work to the man in the middle - NICOLAE (55). Haughty, disdainful.

NICOLAEAre you the girl with the hens?

MIRAYes.

NICOLAEWhat was that?

MIRA(grits teeth)Yes, my Lord.

NICOLAEThe carriage bearing supplies for the castle is ready, but there are no eggs.

MIRANo, my Lord.

NICOLAEThe butcher tells me that you usually trade eggs for meat?

MIRAYes, my Lord.

NICOLAEThe butcher tells me that he did not see you yesterday.

Relief flickers over Mira’s face for a scant instant.

MIRANo, my Lord. The hens gave no eggs.

NICOLAENot feeding them enough. As I thought.

He pulls a tiny leather SACK from a saddlebag. What it holds would barely fill one palm. Nicolae tosses it at Mira’s feet.

NICOLAE (CONT’D)Make sure the hens get this. Don’t eat it yourself. The Count’s demands must be met.

MIRAOf course, my Lord. Thank you, my Lord.

NICOLAENext time we will not be so lenient.

The Elders turn their horses and depart. As soon as they are out of sight, Mira sags against the cottage door.

EXT. MIRA’S COTTAGE - DAY

Mira hunts through the garden. Picking aside dead leaves, she finds a few shriveled, overlooked vegetables. She tosses them into a pot.

At the edge of the woods, Mira clears leaves from the base of a tree. Finds mushrooms. Adds them to the pot.

By the cottage, she watches a hen peck the ground. She holds a knife, considers.

DOMINIK (O.S.)Mama! Mama, look!

Mira turns to see Dominik running her way, something dangling from his hand. He gets closer - he holds a DEAD RAT by the tail.

DOMINIK (CONT’D)Look what I found!

MIRADominik, drop it, right now!

DOMINIKI thought we could put it in the pot.

This is too much for Mira. She must turn her back to him, a hand to her mouth. Fights away tears. Dominik tugs on her skirt, the rat dropped to the ground.

DOMINIK (CONT’D)I’m sorry, Mama.

Mira drops to her knees, pulls him close.

MIRANo, darling, you did very well. But we are not going to eat rats. Do you hear me? Not that. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Mira leads the mule carrying Dominik.

MIRAYou will stay with Todor while I am gone.

DOMINIKHow long will you be gone?

MIRAIf I am lucky, I will be back tonight.

They approach the butcher’s stall, in front of his house. The table is dirty - Mira wrinkles her nose.

Then she notices a crowd gathered in front of the church. She loops the mule’s rope around a post.

MIRA (CONT’D)Stay here.

DOMINIKI want to come with you.

MIRADon’t get off the mule.

She hurries to the crowd--

IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH

Mira pushes through until she sees the STOCKS. Todor is locked inside.

MIRA (CONT’D)Todor!

She runs to him. He sports a bruised and swollen face, his eyes barely able to open.

MIRA (CONT’D)What’s happened? Who has done this?

JANOS (O.S.)Step away from him.

Mira looks up to see Father Janos at the top of the church steps.

JANOS (CONT’D)All of you, come inside.

The villagers shuffle into the church. Mira cleans Todor’s face with a handkerchief.

I was really confused at first on seeing your name. "She's not one of the three people who read this!" But glad to hear you're liking it!

(And now my disclaimer: love feedback, especially criticism, but do not feel in any way obligated to read and/or comment. I know everyone's busy, and I don't want anything like this to become a chore. I do appreciate you reading, though. :D)

If it makes it easier to read, I'd be happy to put everything together as a PDF when I'm done (it takes like three seconds), instead of clicking through and reading separate entries. And I think the formatting here on LJ is a pain.

Oh wow. This is really nicely done - I like the addition of the Elders, and the sense that the Count keeps this little village in poverty and forces them to stay there, that they can't leave. And Mira is much stronger this time around. There are a lot of great changes; I'm excited to see what you do with the rest of it!